The Socialist Equality Party (US) held its Ninth National Congress from August 2 to 7, 2026. Delegates discussed and adopted resolutions on the fight against imperialist war, the breakdown of American democracy, the defense of immigrants, the escalation of class struggle and the building of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), the attitude of socialists to AI technology and the defense of the heritage of the two American Revolutions.
The Ninth Congress adopted the six resolutions unanimously. The congress also heard greetings and reports from the sections and sympathizing groups of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
The congress elected a new national committee and reelected David North as national chairman. The members of the incoming national committee reelected Joseph Kishore as national secretary, Kathleen Martin as assistant national secretary, and Barry Grey and Andre Damon as national co-editors of the World Socialist Web Site.
“The Ninth Congress of the Socialist Equality Party convenes at a critical turning point in the political history of the United States and the world—the point of intersection of war, economic crisis, and rapidly growing social radicalization.”
The Ninth National Congress of the Socialist Equality Party convenes under conditions of escalating imperialist war, deepening economic crisis, the turn of the ruling classes to dictatorship, and a mounting assault on the jobs, wages and social rights of the working class. There is no longer a question of the danger of a world war; its initial stages have already begun.
Since its return to power in January 2025, the Trump administration has implemented a systematic plan to establish a presidential dictatorship. The social character of this government was defined by the party at the outset, as a government of the oligarchy, by the oligarchy and for the oligarchy.
The construction of a dictatorship in the United States is centered on the escalating assault on immigrant workers. ICE, transformed into a paramilitary force, is carrying out a mass deportation operation.
The period since the Eighth Congress has seen a significant acceleration of the class struggle on every continent. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, 458 strikes were recorded across just eight European countries, including five general strikes at the national or regional level: national general strikes in Belgium and Italy, regional general strikes in Andalusia and the Basque Country and a general strike in Northern Cyprus.
More resolutions from the Ninth Congress will be posted here soon.
The second resolution takes up the political and social consequences of that intersection within the United States itself. What is set down in the resolution—of the Trump administration, of the Democratic Party and of the radicalization and developing class struggle—is not an impressionistic response to the events of the past 18 months.
In the first 18 months of its second term, the Trump administration has continued its efforts to establish authoritarian rule by using immigration as the instrument for dismantling the democratic rights of the entire population. The aim of a powerful section of the American ruling class in carrying this strategy through is to abolish the Constitution and the democratic rights won through the American Revolution and Civil War.
The next stage requires the expansion of the rank-and-file committees and, above all, the recruitment into the party of workers who, as the Will Lehman campaign for United Auto Workers (UAW) president has demonstrated, will introduce socialist consciousness into the class struggle. Through this intervention the party must establish its political leadership in the working class.
More reports from the Ninth Congress will be posted here soon.